No bail for stabbing suspect

Friday

GARDNER — A city man is being held without bail on charges of attempted murder in connection with a Fourth of July stabbing that sent a man to the hospital.

GARDNER — A city man is being held without bail on charges of attempted murder in connection with a Fourth of July stabbing that sent a man to the hospital.

Jesse Kruk, 31, of 32 Nichols St., Apt. 3C, was arraigned in Gardner District Court after being arrested at his apartment Thursday by four Gardner police personnel serving a search warrant. In addition to the count of attempted murder, he is charged with battery with a dangerous weapon. He is next due in court July 10.

The victim — identified by police as a 27-year-old man — was transported to Heywood Hospital by witnesses after the Wednesday night incident on Baker Street, according to court records. He was subsequently transferred to UMass Memorial Medical Center-University Campus in Worcester via LifeFlight helicopter with an abdominal wound police characterized as serious.

According to Gardner Patrolman John Smith’s report, witnesses said Mr. Kruk was attempting to fight another man when the victim stepped in to break up the fight. Mr. Kruk allegedly said he would return to “get” the victim, according to police.

Police say Mr. Kruk did come back later, allegedly striking the victim in the head before stabbing him in the lower abdomen and fleeing down Reagan Street. Police were called to the scene immediately after the incident, which occurred at approximately 9 p.m.

While searching Mr. Kruk’s apartment on Thursday, police reportedly found a pair of shorts with blood on them, as well as two knives and a mini multi-tool, according to a report from Gardner Patrolman Jeffrey Labonte. A search of a vehicle Mr. Kruk was alleged to have been in revealed a folding knife, a utility knife and a multi-tool, according to court documents.

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